Praga District

Warsaw's unpolished Praga District stands in stark contrast to the clean, rebuilt, tourist-ready streets of Old Town just across the Vistula. This is the capital as it stood before the war, with many streets untouched by the devastation that laid claim to most of the surrounding cityscape. Luckily for you, after having fallen into disrepair during the gloomy years of the mid 20th century, a resent resurgence of artistic and cultural life in the area has seen many of its worn buildings and warehouses transformed into cool shops, basement clubs and unique restaurants that offer a decidedly less posh and, some might say, more authentic Varsovian experience for visitors. The main drags for food and entertainment are Okrzie/Zabkowska (which run one into the other), as well as nearby Inzynierska and 11 Listopada. Well worth checking out.